1972: “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” showed how the apes and chimps overthrew humans in the original storyline to become masters of the Earth. Sadly, Ricardo Montalban did not survive the purge.

1972: “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” showed how the apes and chimps overthrew humans in the original storyline to become masters of the Earth. Sadly, Ricardo Montalban did not survive the purge.

Photo: Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

1972: “Conquest of the Planet of the Apes” showed how the apes...photo-6586222.89539 - |ucfirst

1971: “Escape from the Planet of the Apes.” Talking chimps invade 20th Century Earth?! And we see Caesar into the story for the first time. Only at first he’s called Milo.

1971: “Escape from the Planet of the Apes.” Talking chimps invade 20th Century Earth?! And we see Caesar into the story for the first time. Only at first he’s called Milo.

Photo: Archive Photos, Getty Images

1971: “Escape from the Planet of the Apes.” Talking chimps...photo-6586221.89539 - |ucfirst

1970: “Beneath the Planet of the Apes.” A second spacecraft, on a rescue mission for the first lost craft, falls to future Earth ruled by apes. But Charlton Heston shows them but good when he blows up the planet in the final act. Of course, this did not stop the sequels. less

1970: “Beneath the Planet of the Apes.” A second spacecraft, on a rescue mission for the first lost craft, falls to future Earth ruled by apes. But Charlton Heston shows them but good when he blows up the ... more

Photo: Archive Photos, Getty Images

1970: “Beneath the Planet of the Apes.” A second spacecraft, on...photo-6586220.89539 - |ucfirst

1968: “Planet of the Apes.” The big daddy that kicked off the whole damn dirty ape love affair. The epic film has Charlton Heston showing us what happens when Roddy McDowall bans guns in America.